The European Union and its Crises

This module examines the history, the present state and the mechanisms of the European Union by approaching it from the angle of some of its most notorious internal crises. The course will present the fundamental structures and instruments of the Union, but instead of focusing on EU theory, it will discuss very concrete issues and thus familiarise students with the basic concepts of European integration. Case studies discussed will be “The Empty Chair Crisis”, Euroscepticism, the War in Iraq, the debates on enlargement, the Lisbon Treaty, the refugee crisis and this year’s possible Brexit (the UK referendum on leaving the EU). The seminar draws on compulsory readings, but students will be expected to voice their ideas in the form of regular debates and a written assignment. This seminar serves as an introductory course to anyone interested in the EU and it will serve as an important foundation for those who later wish to study International Relations, Political Science and/or History.